We must get the fans back onside, says Bristol City boss

SEAN O'Driscoll admits Bristol City face a tough task if they are to win over disillusioned fans following the club's relegation from the Championship.

Two seasons of struggle culminated in relegation back to League One in April and City's head coach fears a majority of fans have lost faith with players, staff and directors after the Robins finished rock-bottom, ten points adrift of 23rd-placed Wolves.

But the Midlander reckons there could be further pain before things improve and is appealing to the fan-base to be patient as he undertakes a fundamental change of culture within Ashton Gate.

In a frank interview, O'Driscoll warned supporters not to expect an instant return to the Championship and appealed to them to understand the size of the task that faces him and his staff as they seek to banish the cycle of failure that has characterised recent seasons.

He said: "If I'm being honest, the supporters have probably lost faith with the club, the staff and the team. I think I know what their verdict will be on the last three seasons.

"We have to make sure we do our level-best to get them back onside at the start of next season. That means we have to deliver and not add to the problem by making empty promises.

"I've inherited the same problems the last three or four managers have inherited, and it's not just a matter of bringing in two or three players and everything being okay.

"I'm sure that is what Derek (McInnes) thought, what Keith (Millen) thought, what Steve (Coppell) thought and what Gary (Johnson) thought. But we have to look at things more deeply.

"But you need time to do that properly and time is the one thing you don't get in this job. That is the conundrum facing us."

Given that more than 80 per cent of O'Driscoll's budget will be taken up by 14 players who are still under contract, the prospects of the head coach conjuring a quick-fix solution are remote. Rather than talk the talk and promote false optimism, he prefers to adopt a realistic approach.

"The expectations are that we will be promoted back to the Championship, but I think there is more pain to come," said O'Driscoll, pictured, who succeeded the sacked McInnes in January.

"There has been a lot of pain already and it may not be over.

"Everyone wants to do well and we want to get in the Championship, but then we also want to create a pathway for young players to come through the academy and get a chance in the first team. That takes time and I'm afraid there will be ups and downs along the way. Everyone in football knows that it won't always be plain sailing.

"You have to ask yourself, do you want to get promoted straight away or do you want to promote from within and build something that will last? I don't think you can manage expectations – you can only tell people what you are trying to do and hope they understand."

Relegated from the Premier League to League One in the space of two seasons, Wolves have been installed as short-priced favourites to win automatic promotion back to the Championship. While Molineux regulars will expect new boss Kenny Jackett to deliver at the first time of asking, O'Driscoll insists City find themselves in an altogether different situation.

He said: "Wolves will have to get promoted. They have come straight down from the Premier League to League One and it is no good their manager saying he is going to do this and he is going to do that. Their supporters will expect them to go straight back up.

"Because Bristol City wants to change the way it is run and build something that is more sustainable, it is different.

"If you can win a few games and get a bit of confidence, then it will make things easier. If you don't then supporters will moan and there will be pressure."

20 comments

Personally, I'm right behind SOD and everything he said in this interview is spot on. Players and the club in general have a big task on their hands winning back a large chunk of the fan base that has been consistent over the past 6 years or so.
The club failed at the first hurdle fo only recognising 4 years of **** with rewarding season ticket holders for their loyalty with a 5% reduction. By admission of their own staff, sales have been "very slow" and whilst there is still a few weeks left for existing holders to claim their current seats, I would expect overall ticket sales to be down around 25%.
If the team don't perform from the off, crowds will drop even more so players and staff morale drops...the ripple effect begins.
Personally, I'm glad we went down. The club for too long now have been too focused on the new stadium, taking their eye of what was really happening on the pitch in the process.
SOD sums up the season ahead perfectly for me.
But, we all go into the 2013/14 season with optimism...it's why we love the game. So we need to move forward as one and hope we can have a solid season for once.
My prediction....just missing out on a playoff position

Always believe ! Some things coming back to bite the club on the backside. S O'D is not the best at media is he. Totally amazed at his comments. Makes Buckle look a rank amateur and that is saying something. Not going to sell ST's is he. Very poor decision to allow him to basically say lower your expectations. Bad times to be a Ted

What ? The same fans that were giving it large at the start of last season now disillusioned ? No, never lol.
Fickle. Fickle City fans. Same old stuff. SL may be a millionaire but he has ruined the club in the process of playing with his toy. If I were a Ted I'd be angry he let this happen.

We haven't turned the corner yet, there is little scope for further signings until the large wage earners can be shipped out, which doesn't appear to be easy.
It's not just a couple either, it's around ten!
Baldock, Taylor, Davies, Adomah, Elliott, Kilkenny, Pearson, Nyatanga, Cunningham and Fontaine, all need to be moved on.
These guys won't graft in Div 1 and will be a millstone around the clubs neck.

this confirms what many of us having been saying for a long, long time - the rot at AG runs deep. on all levels.
maybe the winds of change are starting to blow thru those stinking corridors. maybe some blinkers are coming off, and some reality is kicking in. who knows?
as always, it's (consistently good) performances on the pitch are what counts. SO'D is a good 'football man' who's always improved clubs he's been at. that's why many of us supported his appointment, as it was a 'longer term'' one, rather than a convenient / 'quick fix' one.
he's got in the kind of central defender we've been begging for. jordan wynter may add some class, vim and energy to midfield. we'll need at 2 or 3 more additions, and the mercenaries to be shipped out.
i'll be waiting to see how things look (a) after pre-season, and (b) after 10 games of the season proper

@CiderheadNott:
I know you hav to manage expectations but there are limits.A lot of people I know aren't renewing and the club need to generate a great deal more optimism around the place.Only success on the field will bring the fans back with playing some decent football and scoring a few goals as the icing on the cake.
I've heard and seen nothing from the club that is even remotely tempting me apart from Flint's signing.

@piledriver - go on renew your season ticket!
You're 'a Ciderhead - a Bristol red' like me, and a long time supporter and there is always new hope at the start of every season.
I have some confidence in SOD and it may take a little while into next season before we see SOD's efforts bring reward, but I think they will.
If he can restore confidence into the squad we'll be there or thereabouts!
COYR
Let's motor!

at last we have some sensible posts about the future of our club, we as fans now have to be willing to back o"driscoll. we all know like us all he will make mistakes but lets get behind the club we all love so dearly. we need a balance of youth and division 1 standard players, the 99% who let us down so badly last season should be omitted from the squad or be used as bench warmers!. me i would except a mid table finish next season, with signs of progression on and of the pitch. i believe like most city fans we need long term solutions and stability, for me o"driscoll is the man for such a task.

@FromMendip:
What you need to understand is that SL knows nothing about football and has lost a fortune because of that.His son knows a lot more about football, as a fan, but knows absolutely nothing about managing or running a business.Good old fashioned nepotism failed us again.
The club is a financial mess and, without the bloke who's strategy got us here would have been bankrupt ten times over-How can something that spends £25m with an income of £11m be described as anything other than a shambles??
SOD's appraisal may be honest, however, it's hardly going to inspire those fans who've lost faith, is it.
After 48 years as a supporter and about 25 as a ST Holder,it will take lot more than promise of jam tomorrow to make me renew and let's see how many other of last seasons 9,588 ST Holders (Inc Prem Club) do so.